


Missed Shot

by ami_ven



Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Ending, Community: writerverse, Gen, Nobody is Dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 21:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2747558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ziva arrives on the rooftop, just in time…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missed Shot

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "writerverse" challenge (re-write an ending)

“ _Wow, I thought I’d die before I ever heard—_ ”

“Down, everyone down!”

Tony moved automatically, dropping flat to the rooftop before he fully registered the female voice, and the even more female body that seemingly came out of nowhere to tackle Kate.

He didn’t get a good look at the woman until Gibbs had dragged them all into the stairwell, and demanded, “Who are you?”

“Ziva David,” said the woman. “Mossad.”

“ _Mossad_?” Kate repeated. “As if they have any juris— Wait, you’re hurt!” 

“It is nothing,” said Ziva.

Tony poked her shoulder, hard, and she paled, even as she instantly had a knife in her hand. Gibbs disarmed her easily, but gently.

“We owe you one,” he said. “DiNozzo, call Ducky.”

*

“It seems that you were quite lucky, my dear,” said Ducky, pressing the last butterfly bandage to Ziva’s shoulder. “The bullet did some harm, but missed any bones or arteries, and you will make a complete recovery.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Ziva said, softly.

“It is I who should thank you, Officer David,” said Ducky. “Caitlin told me what happened up on the roof.”

“I could not let someone die, if I had the means to prevent it,” said Ziva.

The ME smiled, and held out her jacket, to help her ease it back on.

*

“I don’t even know what to say,” said Kate, stopping several feet away from the coffin. “Except… thank you, and I’m sorry.”

They were the only ones on the small airstrip, besides, the silent Marines who would escort Ari Haswari’s body back to his father, to Ziva’s father.

“My brother died a long time ago, Agent Todd,” said Ziva, not looking up. “The man I killed was a stranger.”

Both women watched as the coffin was loaded into the plane. The hatches were secured and it taxied to the runway, then took off. The silence lasted for several minutes after the plane had vanished, then Kate said, “What will you do now?”

“Director David— my father— has ordered me to remain here, to act as liaison to NCIS.”

“Do you _want_ to stay?”

“I—” Ziva began, then stopped. “Yes,” she said, sounding almost surprised at her own answer. “I have been raised, trained, to be Mossad. But I do not know if I can continue… after Ari…”

Kate had wanted Ari dead. After what he’d done to her, to Ducky, to Gibbs, to Gerald… but she wouldn’t have wished it to happen this way.

“Do you have a place to stay?” she asked, after a long while.

“There are several safe houses nearby,” said Ziva.

Kate shook her head. “Maybe it would be better if you could get away from Mossad for a little while. I’ve got an extra room, and we could drive in to the Navy Yard together.”

Ziva looked at her for a long moment, then smiled. “Thank you.”

*

(ten years later)

“Will you please stop moping?” said Kate. “It’s getting pathetic.”

“I’m not moping,” Tony protested. “Tell her, Probie.”

“Looks a lot like moping, Tony,” said McGee.

“I’m not moping,” Tony repeated, stapling his report together with a bit more force than was strictly necessary.

“Hey.” Kate walked over to lean a hip on the edge of his desk. “She didn’t leave _you_ , Tony. Ziva just… she needs some time, okay? She knows that you’re here for her, and when she’s ready, she’ll come back.”

“Really?” Tony asked, hopefully.

“I’m sure,” said Kate. “And if she takes too long, we’ll all come with you to find her again. Right, Ellie?”

“Oh, absolutely,” said Bishop, heading for her desk on the other side of McGee’s. “What are we talking about?”

“I hate you all,” Tony muttered.

“Grab your gear,” snapped Gibbs, sweeping into the bullpen to take his gun from his desk drawer. “Kate, get the car. DiNozzo—”

He dropped a postcard onto Tony’s desk. It showed a café in Paris, spring sunlight shining, and on the back was the address of the NCIS main office and two short words, _Love, Ziva_.

Tony grinned. “On your six, boss.”

THE END


End file.
